Disclaimer: I don not own InuYasha or the song Rakuen, InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi© Viz© and The Sun©. The song Rakuen belongs to Do As Infinity© and the translation is thanks to Kuro© on Note: I am very! Sorry I haven't updated at all! I've just been really busy with camp aiding and my mother getting a new job and birthday parties and….well just life in general…I hope this chapter was well worth the wait. :smile:

Here are your Responses:

Cassie1: welll….I updated :anime sweat drop: oh man I love Zorro! I re-read Sesshoumaru and Izayoi training and I see what you mean :Wink:

Via-choco: hee hee wow! I feel so honored::super smiley: yea last chapter was one of my few fighting scenes :blush: I'm happy you liked it! Also I must be a geek as well (not that im not one anyway :wink: please update Higurashi Dojo::innocent blink blink:

OrangeInuYasha: ah yes true true, sense of Irony is strong in this story… I hope ya like my new chapter. AND WE'RE GOING TO OTAKON AND 15/14 DAYS! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE::takes a deep breath: heh…heh…… :anime sweat driop:

katie12321 nsi: I am::big smilie: it makes me feel all bubbly when I read reviews like yours!

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Japanese Dictionary:

Koto: a thirteen-string Japanese musical instrument. Made of wood and plucked with the fingers.

Ji: the thirteen bridges of the Koto, the strings are stretched over these and they can be adjusted to make different sounds.

Shamisen: The shamisen is a lute-like instrument with 3 strings. The strings are different sizes with the top string being the thickest

Tennyo: Angel

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"I found one Isami-sama!"

I almost snorted the green tea I was drinking on the pavilion of my room onto my kimono hem as Sachi-chan came running through our room with a large box-looking package in her small arms.

"What have you found Sachi-chan?" I inquisited politely, placing the delicate china cup back onto on of the four-legged trays in-front of me and Miaka obaa-chan.

"Pardon my eavesdropping Isami-sama," Sachi-chan quickly bobbed her head in quick apology, "but a couple of nights ago I couldn't help hearing you and Miaka obaa-chan talking about the Koto"

"Koto?" I asked rather dumbly before remember how me and Miaka obaa-chan were discussing the similarities in learning my weapon, the Naginata, and my lessons in Koto as a child.

"Hai Isami-sama" Sachi-chan replied with an overbearing grin on her pale face. It was something to see, seeing a child so happy at finding such a thing…

Sachi-chan immediately went to her knees and sat back politely before lightly pushing the wrapped Koto towards my hakama-clad lap. I smiled gently and gave her a nod of thanks and untied the silk ribbon that held its brocaded covers in place. I took a second to admired the brocade work, it depicted a scene of women in flowing kimono; one lady brocaded in blue held a Shamisen in her lap, one hand raising the plectrum. Another lady brocaded in lavender at the very center had the Koto at her knees and her spidery hands positioned over the strings, the last lady, brocaded in a pink held a flute to her mouth and all three women sat in-front of an age-old castle.

I gently folded the brocaded cover and revealed a slightly dusty, yet gorgeous Koto. It was done in rich paulowinia wood and the Ji's were made of a rich ivory. The wood work had vines swirling under the shining thirteen strings and when I ran my fingertip lightly over the thirteen, a heavenly sound came from the holes on the sides.

I smiled sweetly at the Koto and took the sleeve of my rather fine kimono and moved t he dust away.

"Oh Sachi-chan……" I could feel the prickling of tears in my eyes.

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In the five months I have been at this castle, the Koto I now played is what made me feel at home the most. I spent the evening of the day I received the Koto from Sachi-chan polished the paulowinia wood and making the vines almost living on under the silver strings.

Thinking back on my five months here I feel a sort of warmth. I mean yes I have been kidnapped, but they aren't vicious at all and rather humanly; they all have the feelings of a human-being and now spending such time here I have felt a sense of belonging with them….

Scary indeed but rather true, I've focused my time on hating the people that kept me on that trip home and escaping…but the kindness of their lord is rather endearing to me. I have this ceremony to conduct on the young lord and yet I have no idea as of yet…which reminds me that I must take tea with Lord InuTaisho and work up a way that I can fin out without rather seeming stupid. Then again, why should I worry on what the lord thinks of me? I have been annoying myself with these thoughts of wanting to talk to the lord and wanting to wear my best Kimono whenever I mayhap the chance of! I'm seeing the stubbornness in which my father always remarked on and I see why!

But I must admit…the lord InuTaisho is a kind man……

I felt the muscles in my face lift up into a smile as I think about the man with the golden eyes….the rarity I see him makes him that much alluring to me. I haven't even seen this man…. or better put youkai….that much over the past weeks but have had messages about my training in the Naginata from him from the young lord. I am rather frustrated though that I can't even get news if the ideas of treaties with the Dragon-demon Ryukotsusei and the lord Takemaru succeeded or not…. Yet another thing to inquire with the lord InuTaisho.

I felt my fingers gently plucking and adjusting the Ji's and felt the song that I loved the most come forth from my fingers…has it indeed been ages since I have played this instrument? I finally felt the turning point in the gentle song I was plucking and felt the urge to start singing the lyrics……

We all understand
That the wounds can't go away.
How long will it go on?
We don't need them anymore.

We all wait for the day
That there will be no strife.
Wounded soldiers,
Remember now
Your mothers' warmth.

In this vast and endless world,
Drawing our own map,
And holding back our tears,
We'll continue on walking.

Stand up now,
See now, however many times
Sleeping lions are awakened,
Live on to tomorrow.

We all carry
A fragment of love,
Even if we feel hatred,
Nothing will be born of it.
That's something we don't need.

Within the limits of time,
Setting out for a paradise we've yet to see,
As far as it takes us,
We'll continue on walking.

Don't turn back,
Only look ahead.
Until your body wastes away,
Live on to the future

Remember now
Our mothers' warmth.

The vast and endless world's
Yet unseen paradise we set out for,
And as far as it takes us,
We'll continue on walking.

Don't turn back,
Only look ahead.
Until your body wastes away,
Live on to the future.

A sudden sound of clapping rang out and my heart lept as I finished my plucking of the last string. I whipped around and saw the Lord InuTaisho leaning against the doorway and a smug look on his face. My face flushed in a instant and I couldn't help but stutter the words that left my mouth.

"P-Pardon my lord….but why are you in my room?" the feebleness in my words made me feel rather weak.

Lord InuTaisho walked into my room and made himself rather comfortable on the tatami mat next to my own mat and smiled at me.

"I was strolling around my home dearest lady and I heard the sweetest sounds I haven't heard in a long time…." He looked deep into my face, his smile slipping gently off his features and gave me a look that made me feel like he was pouring into my soul… "The sound of an angel's voice accompanied with a Koto…"

I felt my face heat much more…the Lord InuTaisho didn't have the usual façade of all business…he was…….

"My Lord…not a Tennyo! I'm not that accomplished my Lord"

"You don't give yourself any credit my lady" he said seriously, his golden eyes melting into mine….

A silence passed and the Lord broke his gaze from mine.

"I must confess dear Lady Isami that I was actually coming to visit"

I shook myself from the tense moment, I couldn't believe my reaction! My palms were rather sweaty and my heart was rapidly beating…I felt so warm….

"I came to give thanks for the advice of the treaties"

I looked up into his eyes briefly before inclining my body to his respect.

"And to say that the training for the ceremony in but a month will begin sometime this week," he smiled gently at me again, "being a human Miko, I highly doubt you know our customs"

I sighed a breath of relief and bowed again in understanding and smiled at him.

"I adore your song Lady Isami, and ask that you play for me privately sometime…. You truly have a captivating voice…."

I blushed again as he took my hand from my lap and held it in his for a moment. I felt my heart racing again and started to wish my palms didn't sweat at all! I chanced a glance up to his face and saw under all of that prestige of a commanding ruler and a feared man…a…Blush?...maybe not a deep blush but his tan cheekbones were rather pink! He put my hand gently back into my lap and turned to go when I glanced his silver hair in the light of my oil cup…his rather other-world like silver hair held up only by a piece of leather thong….didn't suit him if I say so myself.

"Wait…"

Lord InuTaisho turned at my call and I think I saw a look of confusion but I might have been mistaken… I reached for my stand which held all of my hair ornaments, including the coral flower, and pulled out a pair of crystal spikes…they were to heavy and ornament for myself but maybe……..

I stood with as much grace as I could since my knees were shaking and all…. I walked over to him and reached up gently to tug his hair free from that hideous leather thong…I saw him cast me a confused look and saw an almost exact mirror of the young Lord Sesshoumaru before smiling gently to him and him turning to face forwards once more…trusting me….

I quickly rand my fingers through his silver strands and felt mesmerized by the soft beauty of it flowing through my fingers, I gently pulled his hair into a neat high twist and took a crystal spike and wound it around his locks. The silver crystal of the spike and his gleaming hair reflected each other quite beautifully…I worked his hair back into its usual high pony-tail but added the other spike to support the other and gently ran my fingers through his cascading strands and stood back to have him turn towards me…the spikes looked rather handsome on him.

He reached up and felt the smooth crystal under his calloused hand and before I knew it he took the short step towards me and grasped my hand again in an almost…..loving way!

He smirked yet again and whispered in a husky tone yet again…. "You must play your Koto for me privately soon Isami-san….."

I felt a warm breath and a sweet, gentle pressure on my lips……